And next week we will be celebrating the sixth year of the International Poetry Festival held here in Granada each February and featuring more than 100 top international poets from all over the world.

There is music in Casa de Los Tres Mundos regularly as well as concerts in Tercer Ojo. The Mombacho Beach Club is also joining in the action with parties and music to entertain us.

For Valentines Day, Norome Villas on the Laguna de Apoyo is offering a special with a beautiful villa, wine, chocolates, candlelight and breakfast for $99 per couple per night.

Another romantic option is the Jicaro Island Ecolodge, a new luxury hotel located on one of the beautiful islands on Lake Nicaragua. This is a beautiful ecolodge with a full restaurant, pool and unique rooms and grounds. For more info, email info@jicarolodge.com.

The Amigos de la Policía is having a membership drive. The cost is $50 per year to join. One of their projects was forming a sister city relationship with a police department in the United States. They just received the exciting news that their efforts have finally paid off. Police leadership training for the staff of the Granada police will be provided by their friends in the Fairfield, Connecticut police department in conjunction with the Albert Schweitzer Institute.

The Amigos are hoping the training will take place in March. In addition, it appears that the Fairfield Police Department will provide much-needed police materials and equipment. These new friends are also working with the FBI to seek even more materials for our police. For more info on how to become a member, contact Darrell Bushnell at bushamy13@yahoo.com.

Now that we are in a new year, it is time to get things cleaned up and cleared out. If you have things you no longer need, donate them to Casa Lupita, the free animal clinic located on Calle Libertad. Casa Lupita has spayed or neutered hundreds of street dogs at no charge and many pets for just a donation.

They have saved the lives of many animals and also find good homes for them so they can live a happy and long life. Casa Lupita holds a garage sale each year with the proceeds going to support the Clinic. For more information, contact Lilly Filipow at lillyfilipow@yahoo.com.

Speaking of cleaning up, get your air conditioners maintained and your computer running at top speed with a quick call to Be Cool, a new service in Granada. Be Cool is running a New Year promotion to get you motivated with a special price of $35 to maintain your air conditioning unit. Email Calvin Jones at becool.nic@gmail.com.

If you have any information you would like to have in the column, please do not hesitate to email me and I will include it.